Bio:
Walter Starr Wentworth was a circus performer and stage entertainer and is best remembered as a contortionist. His performing career spanned some 50 years.
Walter's earliest known theatrical notices appear in the 1860's.
Walter pioneered what is now known as a "box act," an act that consisted of Walter folding himself into a small box, about 23"x 19"x 16" -- the box size varies in different reports -- and filling the remaining space in the box with 6 dozen bottles of soda water (or wooden facsimiles). He named the act "Packanatomicalization," a term still in use among contortionists.
Through his many years in the circuses, variety halls and dime museums, Walter performed alongside giants, midgets, golden-throated sopranos, bearded ladies, sword swallowers, exotic dance troupes, cornball comedians, novelty animal performers and numerous other variety acts.
As the turn of the century approached, Walter fictitiously added ten years to his actual age and began billing himself as "the world's oldest practicing contortionist."
Walter's last known theatrical notices appear in June 1913. In December of that year he entered the Massachusetts State Infirmary at Tewksbury, then serving as Massachusetts' poorhouse, where he died two years later.
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Marriages:
Walter married at least twice.
The first marriage occurred in Macomb Co, MI to Laura Ellen (Nellie) Stevers on 13 Jun 1860. The marriage apparently ended in divorce. Though no divorce decree has surfaced, both spouses later remarried.
The second marriage occurred in Manhattan, NYC, NY on 14 Apr 1887 to Ida Louisa Blume Robins, born abt. 1850 in Kensington, England, the daughter of George Robins and Polly Ann Bailey. (I can find no other birth, death or divorce information for Ida.)
There is a third marriage noted for Walter. In an 1896 article published in "The Strand" magazine ("Some Peculiar Entertainments," by Framley Steelcroft, Pg: 328-- available on Google Books) Walter's then-current spouse is identified only as "Miss Grantly, the Albino Princess." It is uncertain whether she is, in fact, a third spouse or whether "Miss Grantly" was the stage name of Walter's second spouse. (See Miss G's photo).
Walter Starr Wentworth was a circus performer and stage entertainer and is best remembered as a contortionist. His performing career spanned some 50 years.
Walter's earliest known theatrical notices appear in the 1860's.
Walter pioneered what is now known as a "box act," an act that consisted of Walter folding himself into a small box, about 23"x 19"x 16" -- the box size varies in different reports -- and filling the remaining space in the box with 6 dozen bottles of soda water (or wooden facsimiles). He named the act "Packanatomicalization," a term still in use among contortionists.
Through his many years in the circuses, variety halls and dime museums, Walter performed alongside giants, midgets, golden-throated sopranos, bearded ladies, sword swallowers, exotic dance troupes, cornball comedians, novelty animal performers and numerous other variety acts.
As the turn of the century approached, Walter fictitiously added ten years to his actual age and began billing himself as "the world's oldest practicing contortionist."
Walter's last known theatrical notices appear in June 1913. In December of that year he entered the Massachusetts State Infirmary at Tewksbury, then serving as Massachusetts' poorhouse, where he died two years later.
.
Marriages:
Walter married at least twice.
The first marriage occurred in Macomb Co, MI to Laura Ellen (Nellie) Stevers on 13 Jun 1860. The marriage apparently ended in divorce. Though no divorce decree has surfaced, both spouses later remarried.
The second marriage occurred in Manhattan, NYC, NY on 14 Apr 1887 to Ida Louisa Blume Robins, born abt. 1850 in Kensington, England, the daughter of George Robins and Polly Ann Bailey. (I can find no other birth, death or divorce information for Ida.)
There is a third marriage noted for Walter. In an 1896 article published in "The Strand" magazine ("Some Peculiar Entertainments," by Framley Steelcroft, Pg: 328-- available on Google Books) Walter's then-current spouse is identified only as "Miss Grantly, the Albino Princess." It is uncertain whether she is, in fact, a third spouse or whether "Miss Grantly" was the stage name of Walter's second spouse. (See Miss G's photo).
Bio:
Walter Starr Wentworth was a circus performer and stage entertainer and is best remembered as a contortionist. His performing career spanned some 50 years.
Walter's earliest known theatrical notices appear in the 1860's.
Walter pioneered what is now known as a "box act," an act that consisted of Walter folding himself into a small box, about 23"x 19"x 16" -- the box size varies in different reports -- and filling the remaining space in the box with 6 dozen bottles of soda water (or wooden facsimiles). He named the act "Packanatomicalization," a term still in use among contortionists.
Through his many years in the circuses, variety halls and dime museums, Walter performed alongside giants, midgets, golden-throated sopranos, bearded ladies, sword swallowers, exotic dance troupes, cornball comedians, novelty animal performers and numerous other variety acts.
As the turn of the century approached, Walter fictitiously added ten years to his actual age and began billing himself as "the world's oldest practicing contortionist."
Walter's last known theatrical notices appear in June 1913. In December of that year he entered the Massachusetts State Infirmary at Tewksbury, then serving as Massachusetts' poorhouse, where he died two years later.
.
Marriages:
Walter married at least twice.
The first marriage occurred in Macomb Co, MI to Laura Ellen (Nellie) Stevers on 13 Jun 1860. The marriage apparently ended in divorce. Though no divorce decree has surfaced, both spouses later remarried.
The second marriage occurred in Manhattan, NYC, NY on 14 Apr 1887 to Ida Louisa Blume Robins, born abt. 1850 in Kensington, England, the daughter of George Robins and Polly Ann Bailey. (I can find no other birth, death or divorce information for Ida.)
There is a third marriage noted for Walter. In an 1896 article published in "The Strand" magazine ("Some Peculiar Entertainments," by Framley Steelcroft, Pg: 328-- available on Google Books) Walter's then-current spouse is identified only as "Miss Grantly, the Albino Princess." It is uncertain whether she is, in fact, a third spouse or whether "Miss Grantly" was the stage name of Walter's second spouse. (See Miss G's photo).
Walter Starr Wentworth was a circus performer and stage entertainer and is best remembered as a contortionist. His performing career spanned some 50 years.
Walter's earliest known theatrical notices appear in the 1860's.
Walter pioneered what is now known as a "box act," an act that consisted of Walter folding himself into a small box, about 23"x 19"x 16" -- the box size varies in different reports -- and filling the remaining space in the box with 6 dozen bottles of soda water (or wooden facsimiles). He named the act "Packanatomicalization," a term still in use among contortionists.
Through his many years in the circuses, variety halls and dime museums, Walter performed alongside giants, midgets, golden-throated sopranos, bearded ladies, sword swallowers, exotic dance troupes, cornball comedians, novelty animal performers and numerous other variety acts.
As the turn of the century approached, Walter fictitiously added ten years to his actual age and began billing himself as "the world's oldest practicing contortionist."
Walter's last known theatrical notices appear in June 1913. In December of that year he entered the Massachusetts State Infirmary at Tewksbury, then serving as Massachusetts' poorhouse, where he died two years later.
.
Marriages:
Walter married at least twice.
The first marriage occurred in Macomb Co, MI to Laura Ellen (Nellie) Stevers on 13 Jun 1860. The marriage apparently ended in divorce. Though no divorce decree has surfaced, both spouses later remarried.
The second marriage occurred in Manhattan, NYC, NY on 14 Apr 1887 to Ida Louisa Blume Robins, born abt. 1850 in Kensington, England, the daughter of George Robins and Polly Ann Bailey. (I can find no other birth, death or divorce information for Ida.)
There is a third marriage noted for Walter. In an 1896 article published in "The Strand" magazine ("Some Peculiar Entertainments," by Framley Steelcroft, Pg: 328-- available on Google Books) Walter's then-current spouse is identified only as "Miss Grantly, the Albino Princess." It is uncertain whether she is, in fact, a third spouse or whether "Miss Grantly" was the stage name of Walter's second spouse. (See Miss G's photo).
